The project studies the dynamics of brain function through quantitative experimental approaches based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), combined with computational models. Experimental activity focuses on investigating the association between cortical information processing, the energy consumption supporting it, and the microstructural substrate enabling its transmission. Project activities extend to functional dynamics induced by interaction with the environment and to spontaneous fluctuations.

To this end, the project pursues innovation in MRI technologies and the development of new multimodal analysis methods. The project has a strong interdisciplinary focus and aims, in perspective, to contribute to the development of advanced diagnostic tools for the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The physiological mechanisms responsible for human brain function remain an open frontier for science. Investigating these mechanisms is all the more critical as the tight link between the elementary properties of individual factors (energy metabolism, microcircuit function) and complex manifestations—such as behavior in its various forms, from sensory and motor activities to phenomena like perception and consciousness—becomes clearer. The advancement of neuroscience has greatly benefited from neuroimaging techniques based on fMRI, which allow the non-invasive study of the human brain. Thanks to the ability to perform repeated measurements and modulate sensitivity to different phenomena, MRI has established itself as a multiparametric technique capable of investigating complex processes such as aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and the effects of rehabilitation, revolutionizing both diagnostics and neuroscientific research.

The NQN project fits into this context, aiming to make its contribution across three strategic areas: the development of new MRI technologies, their integration with advanced processing and modeling techniques, and their application to identifying biomarkers for neurological and psychiatric disorders capable of ensuring early diagnosis and guiding treatment.